Improved ditching-machine



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PETER LUGENBELL, OF GREENSBURG, INDIANA.

IMPRovn-:D DITCHINe-MACHINE.

pecification forming part of Letters Patent No. 57,160, dated August 14, 1866.

To all whom't't may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER LUGENBELL, of Greensburg, in the county of Decatur and State of Indiana, have invented a new and Improved Ditching-Machine and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a side sectional View of my invention, taken in the line .fr Fig. 2; Fig. 2, a transverse vertical section of the same, taken in the line y y, Fig.1 5 Fig. 3, a side View of a stationary cam pertaining tothe same, and Figs. 4 and 5 edge views of the cam.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to a new and improved ditching-machine, and of that class which are provided with a rotary excavator.

The invention consists in a novel construction of the excavator and the arrangement of the same in the framing, as hereinafter fullyshown and described, whereby a very simple and efficient device for the purpose specified is obtained.

A represents a frame mounted on Wheels B, the axles C of which are connected to the frame by king-bolts, either axle being held stationary, as desired, by means of hooks D, attached to frame A, so that either end ofthe machine may be made the foremost one by releasing the axle at the end where the draftanimals are to be attached, a draft-pole, E, being connected to either axle, as may be required.

The frame A has two uprights, a a, attached to it, one at each side, said uprights being connected by a cross-bar, b and Fis an adjustable frame composed of two horizontal bars, c c, connected by cross-bars d, and having upright bars e attached, the bars e being fitted and allowed to slide freely in grooves fin the inner sides of the uprights a a of frame A.

G is a screw which passes vertically and loosely through the cross-bar b on the top of the uprights a a, and passes through or works in a female screw thread or nut in the center of a horizontal bar, H, the ends of which work in the grooves fin the uprights a a. The

lower end of the screw G is fitted centrally in a cross-bar, g, attached to the upper ends of the nprights c c of the frame F, the lower end of the screw being allowed to turn freely in the cross-bar g, and connected to it by a screw, h, as shown in Fig. 2, so that the frame F may be raised and lowered through the medium of the screw.

I is a fixed shaft, the ends of which are secured in the lower parts of the uprights c c, said shaft passing through the bars c c, the latter being rigidly attached to it. On this shaft I, between the bars c c, there is rmly keyed a cam, J, composed of a wheel having a groove, t', made in its periphery, a portion of which groove, as shown at l, is made circumferentially in the periphery of the wheel, and a portion, 2, having a spiral direction. (See Figs. 4t and 5.) This cam J, in consequence of being attached to shaft I, is, of course, fixed or stationary.

On the shaft I, between the bars c c, there is iitted loosely a hollow cylinder, K, said cyl inder inclosing the cam J, as shown clearly in Fig. 2. This cylinder K has a series of radial blades, j, attached toit, said blades being at equal distances apart and extending the whole Width of the cylinder; and L L are the rims which are secured to the edges of the blades j, one at each side of the same, the outer edges of these rims L, as well as the outer edges of the blades, being beveled, so as to be sharp or form cutting-edges.

The periphery ot' the cylinder K has grooves made in it in a direction parallel with its axis, and in these grooves there are fitted slides M, which are allowed to work or move freely back and forth in a direction parallel with the axis of the hollow cylinder K. These slides M are each provided with a projection, 7c, at their inner sides, and said projections t in the groove t of the cam J, and to the outer side of each slide M there is attached a plate, N. T-hese plates iit between the blades j and have a position at right angles therewith. The cylinder K, with its blades j, rims L, and slides M, and plates N, comprise 'an excavator. y

To the cross-bar g there is secured a pendent plate, O, which extends down by the side of the rims L L and blades j, as shown in Fig. 2; and P P are two curved strips, which may be adjusted so as to encompass the greater portion of the lower part of the rims L L, vand these strips are adjusted higher or lower by.

means of set-screws l, which pass through the cross-bars d of the frame F. These curved strips are necessarily made adjustable, in order that the front one may be raised suticientlyY high to admit of the desired depth of cut being made by the excavating-wheel, the rear strip serving as a guide to keep the earth between the blades j, two strips being only employed, in order to admit of the machine being drawn forward from either end.

Q are two colters, which are secured to the front end of the frame Rand are placed at such a distance apart as to be in line with the rims L L. As the machine is drawn along the colters Q make two cuts inthe earth, and the rims L L and blades j penetrate the earth between said cuts, the spaces between the blades j being` filled with earth, and this earth passes up at the rear or ascending side of the excavator, it being retained in the spaces between the blades by the rear strip P, the front strip Y being elevated above the earth', as previously alluded to. Y

The plates N, when the blades j penetrate the earth, are in line with one edge of the blades and within one of the rims L, and the blades j are held in this position i'n consequence of the projections 7c of the slides M working in the circumferential part l of the groove t' of the stationary cam J, and as the plates N reach a point a short distance above the axis of the excavator at its rear the projections 7c enter the spiral part 2 of the groove t' and cause the plates N to move laterally, so as to discharge the earth from between the blades j, the earth falling upon a curved plate, ax, attached to one side oi' the frame F. This earth is knocked oft' from the slides M in consequence of coming in contact with the pendent plate O, and as the plates N pass the pendent plate O they are drawn back between the I blades j j by the reverse eurved'part 2 of the groove i, one portion of part 2 shoving` the plates N outward and the other portion drawing them back to their original position.

The depth of the penetration of the excavator into the earth is regulated by the screw G, the bar H resting on stops bx I)X inthe grooves f of the uprights a a.

The colters Q may be adjusted to either end of the frame F, according to which end of the frame A the draft-animals are to be attached.

Having thus describedmy invention,I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. The rotary excavator composed of the cylinder K, with blades j and rims L L attached, and provided with movable plates N, operated through the medium of the stationary cam J, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.-

2. The adjustable curved strips P P, in combination with the excavator, when the same is constructed substantially as and for the purpose speciiied. j

3. The colters Q Q, in combination with the rotary excavator, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The pendent plate O, in combination with the rotary excavator, as and for the purpose specified.

5. The combination of the rotary excavator with an adj ustable frame, F, arranged as shown, and adjusted through the medium of a screw, substantially as described.

The above specification ot' my invention signed by me.

` PETER LUGENBELL.`

Witnesses:

W. H. BRocKMAN, J AMES S. AEMsrRoNG. 

